Bi-State staff provide assistance to member governments in the area of trails and pedestrian planning. Previous work done by Bi-State includes trail master plans, staff assistance to various bicycle and pedestrian initiatives, greenway planning, and grant application preparation. Bi-State staffs the Bi-State Regional Trail Committee, which meets every other month to act as a forum for coordination and communication for local governments and trails stakeholders. Periodically, special meetings and webinars are hosted on topics involving bicycles and pedestrians, such as active transportation and Complete Streets. The Bi-State Regional Commission adopted the Quad Cities Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Complete Streets Policy in 2008, which states that a balanced approach in roadway design to accommodate all modes of transportation will be a standard practice in the Quad Cities Region.

Bi-State also administers a trail counting program to collect user estimates of area trails. Since 2013, data has been collected around the Quad Cities and shared with municipalities for their transportation planning and recreation activities and for grant preparation. Data is also used to inform long-range transportation and recreation planning in the region.

Bi-State has also partnered with the Quad City Health Initiative to create a “one-stop shop” for non-motorized trails. The interactive website, QCTrails.org, contains information on a multitude of local and regional trails, bikeways, walking paths, and water trails. The website was made possible with funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) Grant, in support of the Be Healthy QC project administered by the Quad City Health Initiative. QCTrails.org encourages users to explore area trails and to track trail usage through the ability to earn badges as trail segments are completed.

The Quad City Riverfront Council provides an opportunity for civic organizations and local governments to exchange information on community planning, recreational amenities, industrial and commercial development, and aesthetic enhancement in the Quad Cities Region.

Rent a Bike
Explore the Quad Cities’ great trails on either side of the Mississippi River! Visit the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau for more information on bike rentals.

Trail Guides Available
In 2016, Ride Illinois updated its guides to bicycling in the metro Quad Cities, the Grand Illinois Trail and the Mississippi River Trail. Visit the website to download the map and guides in PDF format.